Your job will be to read the article and answer the questions given
Reading Log 1
Read the following text and answer the following questions:
I. Pre-reading:
a. What do you know about the chaos theory? I know that chaos theory is that not everything on the planet follows an order or is determined in some way, but there are continuous and unpredictable changes in the nature of the planet, changes that often produce chaos and which the man won’t be able avoid happen.
b. What do you think the text will be about?
I think the text will define and describe the chaos theory.
1. Read the text and check if you can find any of the words you wrote in your list (the one you wrote in the pre-reading, letter c.).
2. Underline all the definitions you find in the text.
3. In the definitions: Mark the term being defined, the general class words and the characteristics of the terms.
Chaos Theory(term to be defined), theory describing (general class word) the complex and unpredictable motion or dynamics of systems that are sensitive to their initial conditions (characteristics).Chaotic systems(term to be defined) are mathematically deterministic (general class word) —that is, they follow precise laws, but their irregular behavior can appear to be random to the casual observer (characteristics). Chaotic behavior is common in systems as varied as electric circuits, measles outbreaks, lasers, clashing gears, heart rhythms, electrical brain activity, circadian rhythms, fluids, animal populations, and chemical reactions. It is suspected that even economic systems, such as the stock exchange, may be chaotic. The field of chaos is evolving rapidly from a theoretical to an applied science.
The dynamic nature of the universe has led to a great deal of scientific research dedicated to analyzing change. Until recently, it was believed that if the dynamics of a system behaved unpredictably, it was due to random external influences. Therefore, scientists concluded that if random influences could be eliminated, then the behavior of all such deterministic systems could be predicted indefinitely. It is now known that many systems can exhibit long-term unpredictability even in the absence of random influences (characteristics). Such systems (general class word) are called chaotic(term to be defined). Even very simple systems, such as a pendulum, exhibit chaos.
The unpredictability of chaotic systems arises due to their sensitivity to their initial conditions, such as their initial position and velocity. Two identical chaotic systems set in motion with slightly different initial conditions can quickly exhibit motions that are quite different. French mathematician Henri Poincaré concluded that he could not prove the solar system to be completely predictable. He was the first to state the defining feature of what later became known as chaos: “It may happen that small differences in the initial conditions produce very great ones in the final phenomena. A small error in the former will produce an enormous error in the latter. Prediction becomes impossible.…”
The ramifications of Poincaré's discovery were not fully appreciated by most scientists until computers allowed them to easily model and visualize chaotic systems. Before then, however, pioneering scientists and engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration used Poincaré's work to send people and satellites into orbit. Edward Lorenz, an American meteorologist, discovered in the early 1960s that a simplified computer model of the weather demonstrated extreme sensitivity to the initial measured state of the weather (seeMeteorology). He demonstrated visually that there was structure in his chaotic weather model that, when plotted in three dimensions, fell onto a butterfly-shaped fractal set of points of a type now known as a strange attractor. Lorenz rediscovered chaos and proved that long-range forecasting of the weather was impossible.
By the early 1980s, experiments regularly showed that many physical and biological systems behave chaotically. One of the first such systems to be discovered was the dripping water faucet. Under certain conditions, the timing between water drops from a leaking faucet demonstrates chaotic behavior, making the long-term prediction of the timing of drops impossible.
According to recent evidence, Poincaré's observations concerning the unpredictability of the solar system appear to be correct. Observations and computer simulations of the irregular tumbling motion of Hyperion, a potato-shaped moon of Saturn, have provided the first conclusive proof that objects in the solar system can behave chaotically. Recent computer simulations have also shown that the orbit of Pluto(term to be defined), the outermost planet (general class word) of the solar system, is chaotic (characteristics).
Scientists are currently developing applications that use chaos. New chaos-aware control techniques are being used to stabilize lasers, manipulate chemical reactions, encode information, and change chaotic heart rhythms into healthy, regular heart rhythms.
4. Find the descriptions if any.
Chaotic systems are mathematically deterministic—that is, they follow precise laws, but their irregular behavior can appear to be random to the casual observer. Chaotic behavior is common in systems as varied as electric circuits, measles outbreaks, lasers, clashing gears, heart rhythms, electrical brain activity, circadian rhythms, fluids, animal populations, and chemical reactions. It is suspected that even economic systems, such as the stock exchange, may be chaotic. Under certain conditions, the timing between water drops from a leaking faucet demonstrates chaotic behavior, making the long-term prediction of the timing of drops impossible. 5. Find what the following referents, underlined in the sentences below, refer to in the text. Be careful some items more contain more than one referent:
a. Chaos Theory, theory describing the complex and unpredictable motion or dynamics of systems that(to refer to dynamics of systems)are sensitive to their initial conditions (to refer to dynamics of systems) b. Until recently, it was believed that if the dynamics of a system behaved unpredictably, it(to refer to dynamics of a system behaved unpredictable) was due to random external influences
c. “It may happen that small differences in the initial conditions produce very great ones in the final phenomena. A small error in the former(to refer to the initial conditions)will produce an enormous error in the latter (to refer to final phenomena). Prediction becomes impossible…”
d. The ramifications of Poincaré's discovery were not fully appreciated by most scientists until computers allowed them(to refer to the scientists)to easily model and visualize chaotic systems.
e. He demonstrated visually that there was structure in his chaotic weather model that (to refer to simplified computer model), when plotted... (to refer to simplified computer model).
6. What new aspects did you discover about the chaos theory?
I discovered this: “The unpredictability of chaotic systems arises due to their sensitivity to their initial conditions, such as their initial position and velocity. Two identical chaotic systems set in motion with slightly different initial conditions can quickly exhibit motions that are quite different. French mathematician Henri Poincaré concluded that he could not prove the solar system to be completely predictable”. And this: “Edward Lorenz, an American meteorologist, discovered in the early 1960s that a simplified computer model of the weather demonstrated extreme sensitivity to the initial measured state of the weather (seeMeteorology). He demonstrated visually that there was structure in his chaotic weather model that, when plotted in three dimensions, fell onto a butterfly-shaped fractal set of points of a type now known as a strange attractor. Lorenz rediscovered chaos and proved that long-range forecasting of the weather was impossible”.
7. Is the chaos theory related to real life aspects? Explain
I think yes because chaos theory practically speak of the entire world is unstable and unpredictable and I think that it is true, because natural changes always occur and one nor imagined would happen, nothing follows an order or is determined to something, for example the natural changes that humans can not avoid such as earthquakes or storms that no one thought would happen in that instant.
Reading Log Reading Log 11
Your job will be to read the article and answer the questions given
Reading Log 1
Read the following text and answer the following questions:
I. Pre-reading:
a. What do you know about the chaos theory?
I know that chaos theory is that not everything on the planet follows an order or is determined in some way, but there are continuous and unpredictable changes in the nature of the planet, changes that often produce chaos and which the man won’t be able avoid happen.
b. What do you think the text will be about?
I think the text will define and describe the chaos theory.
c. Write a list of five words (minimum) that you think you can find in the text you will read.
ü Chaos.
ü Theory.
ü Order.
ü Nature.
ü World.
ü Unpredictable.
Now click on the following link, then check your previous responses. Once you finish, please answer the questions below the picture
http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761571605/Chaos_Theory.html
Image taken on Sept 11th, 2008 from: http://image04.webshots.com/4/8/65/6/72686506oCftgU_ph.jpg
II. Reading:
1. Read the text and check if you can find any of the words you wrote in your list (the one you wrote in the pre-reading, letter c.).
2. Underline all the definitions you find in the text.
3. In the definitions: Mark the term being defined, the general class words and the characteristics of the terms.
Chaos Theory (term to be defined), theory describing (general class word) the complex and unpredictable motion or dynamics of systems that are sensitive to their initial conditions (characteristics). Chaotic systems (term to be defined) are mathematically deterministic (general class word) —that is, they follow precise laws, but their irregular behavior can appear to be random to the casual observer (characteristics). Chaotic behavior is common in systems as varied as electric circuits, measles outbreaks, lasers, clashing gears, heart rhythms, electrical brain activity, circadian rhythms, fluids, animal populations, and chemical reactions. It is suspected that even economic systems, such as the stock exchange, may be chaotic. The field of chaos is evolving rapidly from a theoretical to an applied science.
The dynamic nature of the universe has led to a great deal of scientific research dedicated to analyzing change. Until recently, it was believed that if the dynamics of a system behaved unpredictably, it was due to random external influences. Therefore, scientists concluded that if random influences could be eliminated, then the behavior of all such deterministic systems could be predicted indefinitely. It is now known that many systems can exhibit long-term unpredictability even in the absence of random influences (characteristics). Such systems (general class word) are called chaotic (term to be defined). Even very simple systems, such as a pendulum, exhibit chaos.
The unpredictability of chaotic systems arises due to their sensitivity to their initial conditions, such as their initial position and velocity. Two identical chaotic systems set in motion with slightly different initial conditions can quickly exhibit motions that are quite different. French mathematician Henri Poincaré concluded that he could not prove the solar system to be completely predictable. He was the first to state the defining feature of what later became known as chaos: “It may happen that small differences in the initial conditions produce very great ones in the final phenomena. A small error in the former will produce an enormous error in the latter. Prediction becomes impossible.…”
The ramifications of Poincaré's discovery were not fully appreciated by most scientists until computers allowed them to easily model and visualize chaotic systems. Before then, however, pioneering scientists and engineers at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration used Poincaré's work to send people and satellites into orbit. Edward Lorenz, an American meteorologist, discovered in the early 1960s that a simplified computer model of the weather demonstrated extreme sensitivity to the initial measured state of the weather (see Meteorology). He demonstrated visually that there was structure in his chaotic weather model that, when plotted in three dimensions, fell onto a butterfly-shaped fractal set of points of a type now known as a strange attractor. Lorenz rediscovered chaos and proved that long-range forecasting of the weather was impossible.
By the early 1980s, experiments regularly showed that many physical and biological systems behave chaotically. One of the first such systems to be discovered was the dripping water faucet. Under certain conditions, the timing between water drops from a leaking faucet demonstrates chaotic behavior, making the long-term prediction of the timing of drops impossible.
According to recent evidence, Poincaré's observations concerning the unpredictability of the solar system appear to be correct. Observations and computer simulations of the irregular tumbling motion of Hyperion, a potato-shaped moon of Saturn, have provided the first conclusive proof that objects in the solar system can behave chaotically. Recent computer simulations have also shown that the orbit of Pluto (term to be defined), the outermost planet (general class word) of the solar system, is chaotic (characteristics).
Scientists are currently developing applications that use chaos. New chaos-aware control techniques are being used to stabilize lasers, manipulate chemical reactions, encode information, and change chaotic heart rhythms into healthy, regular heart rhythms.
4. Find the descriptions if any.
Chaotic systems are mathematically deterministic—that is, they follow precise laws, but their irregular behavior can appear to be random to the casual observer. Chaotic behavior is common in systems as varied as electric circuits, measles outbreaks, lasers, clashing gears, heart rhythms, electrical brain activity, circadian rhythms, fluids, animal populations, and chemical reactions. It is suspected that even economic systems, such as the stock exchange, may be chaotic.
Under certain conditions, the timing between water drops from a leaking faucet demonstrates chaotic behavior, making the long-term prediction of the timing of drops impossible.
5. Find what the following referents, underlined in the sentences below, refer to in the text. Be careful some items more contain more than one referent:
a. Chaos Theory, theory describing the complex and unpredictable motion or dynamics of systems that (to refer to dynamics of systems) are sensitive to their initial conditions (to refer to dynamics of systems)
b. Until recently, it was believed that if the dynamics of a system behaved unpredictably, it (to refer to dynamics of a system behaved unpredictable) was due to random external influences
c. “It may happen that small differences in the initial conditions produce very great ones in the final phenomena. A small error in the former (to refer to the initial conditions) will produce an enormous error in the latter (to refer to final phenomena). Prediction becomes impossible…”
d. The ramifications of Poincaré's discovery were not fully appreciated by most scientists until computers allowed them (to refer to the scientists) to easily model and visualize chaotic systems.
e. He demonstrated visually that there was structure in his chaotic weather model that (to refer to simplified computer model), when plotted... (to refer to simplified computer model).
6. What new aspects did you discover about the chaos theory?
I discovered this: “The unpredictability of chaotic systems arises due to their sensitivity to their initial conditions, such as their initial position and velocity. Two identical chaotic systems set in motion with slightly different initial conditions can quickly exhibit motions that are quite different. French mathematician Henri Poincaré concluded that he could not prove the solar system to be completely predictable”. And this: “Edward Lorenz, an American meteorologist, discovered in the early 1960s that a simplified computer model of the weather demonstrated extreme sensitivity to the initial measured state of the weather (see Meteorology). He demonstrated visually that there was structure in his chaotic weather model that, when plotted in three dimensions, fell onto a butterfly-shaped fractal set of points of a type now known as a strange attractor. Lorenz rediscovered chaos and proved that long-range forecasting of the weather was impossible”.
7. Is the chaos theory related to real life aspects? Explain
I think yes because chaos theory practically speak of the entire world is unstable and unpredictable and I think that it is true, because natural changes always occur and one nor imagined would happen, nothing follows an order or is determined to something, for example the natural changes that humans can not avoid such as earthquakes or storms that no one thought would happen in that instant.